If you've ever wanted to take the kids on an Amtrak train ride, or wanted to experience the adventure yourself, the next four weekends may well be among the most spectacular options of your life departing from the Amtrak train depot below the bluff in St. Joseph aboard the Pere Marquette. Four July weekends will feature the Great Dome Car on the Grand Rapids-to-Chicago run including the daily stops in St. Joseph offering amazing views from the train.
With windows on all four sides and curving up into the roof, Car 10031, known as "Ocean View," is the only Dome Lounge car in the entire Amtrak fleet and it will operate eastbound on Thursday nights with round-trips through the weekend, returning west to Chicago on Monday mornings on the following weekends:
- June 30-thru-July 4
- July 7-thru-July 11
- July 14-thru-July 18
- July 21-thru-July 24
There is no extra charge to ride in the spectacular car shown in the photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market.com. The car was built in 1955 for the Great Northern Railway.
The upper level of the Great Dome Car offers panoramic views of one of the prettiest routes in the entire Midwest, from the Chicago skyline to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore…from the Silver Beach Carousel, Compass Rose Fountain, and Silver Beach itself in St. Joseph to the massive pickling tanks in Bangor…from the famous tulip fields of Holland to the bright and airy new train station in Grand Rapids.
What better way to avoid heavy interstate traffic, steep highway tolls, pricey parking, and more while enjoying the 360-degree views of Michigan's Great Southwest and the southern shores of Lake Michigan. Adult fares start at just $32 each way, plus add-ons for bicycles or small pets.
The Great Dome Car was first utilized on the Chicago to Seattle Empire Builder train operated by the Great Northern Railway and the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad, which later became Burlington Northern. The car was built in 1955 by the Budd Company, and was later conveyed to Amtrak in 1971. It was renovated in 1985 and used in daily service on the Amtrak Auto Train to and from the Washington, D.C. and Orlando, Florida areas through 1994. It was further refurbished in 1999 and earned the number 10031, and has been used in various Amtrak services including the Pacific Surfliners and other charters and excursions.
Keep in mind, the current schedule on the Pere Marquette is on the July weekends only, and then it will move on to other parts of the nation, as it is the only one in the entire Amtrak fleet. A rare treat for Pere Marquette travelers to experience if you move fast.
